Yule Tide Cheer
by Daniel Silvertongue
Summary: Harry enjoys Christmas at the Burrow. Please R/R!!!! Rated PG-13 just to be safe.


Disclaimer:  I'm sorry to say that I do not own any of the brilliant characters of the Harry Potter world; they are in fact the property of Ms. JK Rowling. 

A/N:  I actually wrote this around Christmas time but I never got the chance to post it until now.  I was thinking about continuing with this plot line and adding more, depending on what type of reactions I get, so please read and review!   

Harry Potter and the Best Christmas Ever

Harry Potter was no ordinary boy.  In fact, Harry Potter was anything but ordinary.  In his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the only person ever to survive the killing curse, Harry was anything but ordinary.  And for Harry life couldn't get much better.  Because tonight is Christmas Eve and Harry was spending the Christmas Holiday with his adoptive family, the Weasleys.  Smiling, Harry takes in the sights and sounds of the Burrow.  There is so much going on.  Harry notices Ron and Hermione speaking in quiet tones a few feet away by the fireplace, every since Ron had owned up to his feelings for Hermione they had started dating, and stopped fighting all the time, well almost.  

~*~*~

_One year ago, Christmas Eve_

"Ron I can't believe that you can be so immature about this!" 

"Immature!  He was snogging my baby sister!"

"Ron! You should be happy for them!  Harry is you best friend and Ginny is not a baby! She's 15!"

Harry sat in a arm chair by the fire of the Gryffindor common room with Ginny on his lap.  He really hated it when Hermione and Ron had fights.  Normally he would just stay out of it but it seemed that this time that would not be possible.

 "Harry?" Ginny breathed into his ear.

"Hum?" 

"We should have told Ron sooner…you know?  Rather than having him catch us in the Astronomy tower."

"I was just thinking that…but you know we just have to give Ron some time to get used to the idea.  I'm sure Hermione can talk some sense into him eventually."  Harry said smiling.  He pulled Ginny down and gave her a peck on the cheek.  "She always does."

~*~*~

Harry smiled fondly at the memory.  Ron and Hermione would always have fights but they would also always end up making up and would act like nothing had happened.  That's the kind of love they shared.  He and Ginny we different they weren't as volatile as Ron and Hermione, the shared a special love.  Ginny was his constant.  And he loved her for that.

Standing up, Harry crept up behind Ginny taking a few moments to look her over.  Wearing a famous Weasley sweater and a pair of tight fitting jeans Harry had to wonder how she could be dressed so casually, yet still look incredibly sexy.  Harry looked down at himself, with his own Weasley sweater and khakis he wasn't exactly going to win any fashion awards himself, not that that mattered.  Sliding his arms around Ginny and pulling her into a hug he whispered, "I love you."

Ginny smiled and let herself be held in Harry's embrace.  She took in his scent he smelled like a mixture of smoked pine and mint, the kind of musky smell that she had learned to associate with comfort and love.  Harry didn't wear cheap colognes like her brothers.  He didn't have to.  He had his own 'Harry smell' as she jokingly called it.

"I love you too Harry." She responded.  

Harry spun her around and gazed into those limitless chocolate eyes.  Her eyes sparkled with the intensity of the fire in the hearth.  They kissed softly and embraced again.  

"So what did you get me for Christmas?" Harry inquired nonchalantly.  

"Uh!" Ginny laughed, slapping Harry playfully in the arm.  Harry had been trying to get her to tell him for weeks, trying to catch her off guard.  "You'll just have to wait until the morning to see. Though," Ginny said smiling mischievously, "there's another present that you can unwrap tonight if you like."  Giving a very surprised Harry another kiss and a wink she turned on her heel and went into the kitchen to help set the table for the meal that Mrs. Weasley had prepared.    

_What did she mean by that,_ Harry wondered? 

"Don't even think about it Potter!"  Ron laughed giving his best friend a hearty slap on the back.  Ron had gotten used to the idea of Harry and Ginny dating but the thought of them snogging was something that he couldn't get used to that easily.  

"Oh Ron, be quiet.  If Harry and Ginny wanted snog right here right now then they should be allowed to.  Besides," Hermione added winking at Ron and giving him a pinch on the butt, "It can't be any worse then what we've already done."  With that comment Ron turned several shades darker then his already famously red hair.

Harry couldn't hold back his laughter.  Harry knew (from what little details Ron had given him) that Ron and Hermione were defiantly not the best behaved of the Gryffindor couples.

"Fine, fine." Ron conceded.  "Just don't do anything that I _would_ do." He added with a nudge from Hermione.  

"Hey you three!"  Fred interrupted, on his arm was Angelina (which was the only reason that Harry could tell which twin it was.  Fred and Angelina had gotten engaged shortly they had graduated from Hogwarts and started working getting Weasley Wizard Wheezes up off the ground.  With Angelina handling the business end things were really starting to look up for the twins and WWW.  George, Harry noticed, was dateless.  Ever since Fred had gotten engaged George had started going through witches or all sorts (and even a few muggles) to find the woman of his dreams.  He had broken a few hearts over the past year and it seemed like he had broken one more as his current love interest, Bethany, was nowhere to be found. 

Not really paying attention to what the others were talking about Harry decided to go look for Ginny.  Walking into the kitchen Harry found himself face to face with Penelope, Percy's new wife.  "Oh, hi there Harry!" She smiled.  "Can I get you anything?" 

"Actually," Harry said looking over Penelope's shoulder and catching Ginny's eye "I've found what I'm looking for."  Harry tried to get around Penelope and over to Ginny but was blocked by Mrs. Weasley.  

"Harry dear," She asked kindly (but at the same time not leaving room for argument) "would you please go tell the others its time to eat?"

"Of course." Harry smiled, mouthing to Ginny to save his seat at the table before going to tell the others it was time to eat.

~*~*~

Harry was having the best Christmas ever.  Mrs. Weasley had truly outdone herself with the meal that she prepared.  It was better than any Hogwarts feast Harry had ever tasted.  Earlier Harry had been worried if Mrs. Weasley would be able to make enough food for all thirteen people.  Harry chuckled softly at the memory of Hermione scowling at Ron for stuffing his face, and then for laughing when George unexpectedly ate a Wheeze that gave a long white bread, so that he resembled Santa Clause.  Remembering the announcement that Penelope was pregnant and in six short months Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would be grandparents, Harry had to choke back the tears of joy.  He had never been so happy.  Things were just as they should be.  

Looking at his watch Harry noticed that it was getting late.  Glancing down at Ginny's sleeping figure, he couldn't bear to move.  Absently stroking Ginny's hair Harry finally fell asleep on the couch.  

~*~*~

When Ginny awoke she immediately noticed something was amiss.  It seemed that her 'Harry Pillow' had wondered off somewhere.  Sitting up and glancing around the room she didn't see him anywhere.  

"Harry?" She called out questioningly.  Ginny still being tired and not being able to go back to sleep without her pillow went to go find him.  Rounding the corner to the stairwell she found him sitting with his head in his hands.  And he was crying.  

"Harry?" She asked again, her voice full of concern and love.  "What's wrong?"

Harry looked up from the stairs and smiled.  "That's just it Ginny.  Nothing's wrong.  This has been the best Christmas ever."  He stood up and pulled her into a warm hug.  "Come on, everyone's still asleep.  Let's go back to bed." Taking Ginny's hand he led her back to their couch, where they promptly feel asleep in each other's arms.

~*~*~

Harry felt the warm touch of Ginny's lips on his and woke up to the must beautiful sight he had ever seen.  After sleep in his arms all night Ginny looked a bit disheveled, her hair was sticking out in odd directions and her eyes still drooped from sleepiness.  Harry kissed her back.  "This is how I want to wake up every morning."  

"You better not be."  Bill said entering the sitting room with a cup of tea in his hand and two others floating beside him.  "Come on you two.  It's almost time to open presents."  Taking the tea that Bill brought for them Harry and Ginny followed Bill into the next room nearly getting knocked over by a very enthusiastic Charlie, hearing him mumble something about hoping to get dragon hide boots this year.  Harry and Ginny found a sit next to the very on the floor and waited for the others to arrive.  Ron and Hermione suspiciously arrived together looking like they hadn't had a lot of sleep.  The Twins along with Angelina, who was speaking quietly with Penelope, were next.  Percy came down soon after and began to organize the mountain of presents into piles.  Lastly, came Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, walking hand-in-hand and looking as young as ever.

"Well," began Mr. Weasley taking up his paternal responsibilities "let's start handing out the presents.  We can all open one presents at a time."  Once the first presents had been handed out the chaos began.  To Harry, the deafening chatter was music to his ears.   Opening his first present he discovered another sweater from Mrs. Weasley.  Ginny gave him a wink and whispered in his ear so he could hear her, "The green goes well with your eyes."  Harry smiled back at her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley!" He said getting up and giving her a tight hug.  "It really means a lot to me that you've made me a sweater for the pass seven years.  I've never gotten the opportunity to thank you until now.  You're so much like the mother that I never had." Harry added giving her another hug.  When he pulled away and returned to Ginny, he looked over and saw that Mrs. Weasley's eyes were wet.

Getting his presents out of Ginny's pile and giving it to her (and Ginny doing likewise for him) Harry waited anxiously to see how Ginny would react to what he got her.  Placing one arm around her, Harry held her tight and watched as Ginny's eyes lit up at the sight of her gift.  

"It was my mum's" Harry said taking the necklace and clasping it around Ginny's neck. The necklace, in the shape of a heart, had several small diamonds in it, and a gold chain.  "Remus gave it to me alone with some other things of my parents. He said that my dad gave this necklace to my mum the Christmas after I was born, as a thank you…" Harry couldn't go on thinking about his parents at Christmas was too much for him to take.  Even if he wanted to say something he wouldn't have been able to because Ginny who hadn't even looked up during his little rant was now kissing him fully.  After what seemed like an eternity, Ginny released Harry with tears in her eyes and breathlessly said thank you.  

"Well," she said after catching her breath "Aren't you going to open mine?"  

Harry quickly ripped open Ginny's present for him.  The only thing that could escape his lips was a small "wow".  Ginny had given him a collection of photos, pictures from his first year on.  There were pictures of him, Ron, and Hermione.  Some of Ginny and him or just of Ginny, flipping to the last page, Harry finally broke down in tears.  On the last page of the photo album was a picture of everyone that Harry held dear,  the entire Weasley family, Hermione, Angelina, Penelope, and him.  "Thank you so much Ginny.  You've given me the greatest gift that you could have given me."  Harry said tearfully.  

Harry looked around the cramped room.  Everyone was so happy.  Harry got that feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't quite place a reason for again.  But then it dawned on him.  The feeling was joy.  Pure joy, that can only come from loving and being loved.  One look at any of those in the room and Harry knew that he was loved and that he loved all of them.  With Ginny in his arms, Harry closed his eyes and spoke a quiet thank you.  He had everything that he ever wanted and everything that he would ever need right in that room.  Life was beautiful.  

Fin.


End file.
